Darkness of Heart
by amanda2324
Summary: Elfen Lied, with some characters from the Care Bear universe. Mayu meets David, aka Dark Heart. Not to long after that, things take a turn for the worse... What does David have to do with Lucy, and who is after him and why? Full Sumary inside!
1. Chap 1: Comfort in Lonliness

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**Full Summary: Nyu has returned to the family, and they have lived in peace for a few months, with no more trouble from the cops, or anyone else. Mayu is enjoying her peaceful life and is becoming a very mature teenager. However, a strange boy appears in the neighborhood, and energy readings attract the attention of the scientists studying the diclonius race. Her peaceful life suddenly takes an unforseen turn down the path to dark depths as she tries to save her friend and uncover mysteries about him, what he has to do with Nyu(Lucy), while discovering some answers she would have rather left unknown.**

**Authors note: Okay, so, first thing submitted to this place... and it's not your normal story. An Elfen Lied and Care Bear's crossover. Crazy, right? Yeah, so what? I had this cool idea for Dark Heart, but I will have some other characters from the Care Bear universe come in as well. Otherwise, this fanfic stars Mayu of Elfen Lied and Dark Heart (aka David) from Care Bear's II.**

**Chapter 1: Comfort in Loneliness**

Mayu was the first up. She stood and stretched her arms high, quickly covering her mouth as she yawned. She walked out of the room quietly as to not wake Nyu or Nana. She began her preparation for school, and at the same time, started the breakfast of pancakes, a recipe her aunt had taught her when she was younger. She was flipping the first batch by the time Kouta came into the kitchen, Yuka shortly followed. "Good morning, Mayu-chan," he greeted with a yawn, stretching. "You must've been up rather early." Mayu nodded, giving them a bright smile, easily winning a smile from each of them.

"Mm, what smells so good," Yuka piped up walking over to Mayu and peering over her shoulder. She wrinkled her nose in thought as she watched Mayu flip one of the floppy brown discs.

"They're called pancakes," Mayu replied, transferring the strange delicacy to a plate, and placing a cloth over them. "My aunt taught me how to make them when I was little; she said they're a real delicacy from another country. I saved my allowance and bought the ingredients yesterday, so I thought I'd make it as a surprise." Mayu poured some more batter into the pan, creating a few more circles on the grill. Yuka blinked, watching the batter span out a bit before she walked away and began to set the table.

"Well, it smells delicious," Kouta complemented, already clearing the table of last nights before-bed festivities. He spotted an oddly shaped bottle of a dark brown substance, and beside it, a plate of a yellow stick of butter. "Toppings for the pancakes?" He asked allowed, turning to Yuka, who shrugged, and then to Mayu. The young teenager nodded, looking over her shoulder at him.

"The brown stuff is called syrup." She turned back to her work for a moment, flipping the pancakes to upturn their cooked side. "It tastes good on pancakes," she assured him, wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist.

"Nyu," came a questioning voice, Nyu appearing at the door, rubbing her eyes. Kouta smiled, but said nothing, leaving it to Yuka to explain to the horned, pink-haired girl about the special breakfast.

"Smells good," Nana yawned, walking into the kitchen. She was fully dressed and ready for the day, blinking as she looked over at the plate of "pancakes" Mayu picked up and placed in the center of the table.

"They're done," she announced with a grin.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was later that day when Mayu was running home from school as fast as her legs could carry her. "I'm home," she called out as she walked in, slipping her shoes off at the door. As she walked into the dining room, Yuka and Kouta looked up from their studies to see her in a new uniform. She stopped, blushing as they admired it. Yuka raised an eyebrow, suspecting something.

"Isn't that the design your classmate sent in," she questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. Mayu looked up at her, and nodded firmly. "I'm glad you were able to talk encourage her to send in her idea. That was very sweet of you not to let her give up on her goal." Mayu blushed a bit more, nodding as she slipped off her backpack and walked over to a spot at the table to do her homework.

She worked diligently, giving her work her full concentration. It was not long before she finished, slipping her things into her backpack, she went to put them in her room. Nana and Nyu were playing cards, and both immediately invited her to join them when she walked into the room. She smiled, setting down her backpack by the doorway, she hurried over to them and sat down, accepting the cards Nana handed her.

This was the usual schedule now: breakfast, school, homework, quality time with family, chores, dinner, after dinner chores, some other activities, and then bedtime. The cops were no longer looking for Lucy; probably because they thought she was dead. Nana's father, or so they knew him as, left Nana in Kouta and Yuka's care, and disappeared. She was not allowed to tell Nana that, but it seemed her father needed some time to do something, which made it a bit easier to keep the secret. "Nyu!" Mayu blinked, tearing herself from her daydream and looked down at the cards. Nyu had won, once again. Nyu smiled proudly, putting her cards into the pile. "'Gain! 'Gain!" Mayu and Nana laughed, the two piling their cards together, and Mayu shuffled the cards quickly before dealing them out. The days were uneventful now, by standards of what used to happen quite often. However, as you can probably guess, all of that was soon going to change.

He continued running. Even as his "friends" called after him to stop, he continued running. "David, come back!" The female voice, sweet even when it was filled to the brim with worry, concern, also containing hints of a sense of helplessness. He ignored her this time, as he should have at the beginning, in his opinion. He heard the three sets of feet running after him, having ditched their bikes. He looked over his shoulder, realizing they were beginning to catch up. The brown haired girl took out of her shirt a red gem at the end of a necklace chain. His eyes narrowed, quickly, he whipped around, still traveling, and brought his right hand around, palm up, in a quick slashing motion. Wind followed his fingertips, creating an almost invisible blade, cutting the chain and tossing it into the bushes. He turned back around and continued running, amazingly, not having lost any speed. One of the twin siblings, a blonde haired girl with pigtails, stopped and began to search for the gem while her twin brother and other friend continued to chase the red haired boy down the sidewalks.

"Just go away," David cried angrily, increasing his speed gradually. Christy narrowed her brown eyes, her pace also increasing. She said nothing in reply, keeping her pattern of breathing and trying to concentrate on building speed. She looked over her shoulder at John, who was doing his best to keep up, but he did not have… abilities, unlike she did. She turned back to David, relieved to see that she was starting to catch up to him. She watched him look over his shoulder at her as she reached out her hand to grab his arm to stop him. Something caused her to look at him and she gasped, her eyes widening, and she retracted her hand, coming to an abrupt halt, wind blowing past her, almost taking her purple hat. She watched as her friend continued running down the darkening streets, the sun setting fast, and the street lights' gradually coming on. John stopped beside her, and put his hands on his knees, panting furiously, his sides hurting from the long run. Dawn eventually rushed up to them, the gem in her hand.

"Did he get away," she asked breathlessly, handing the brunet the red, oval-shaped gem upon a piece of silver metal. Christy accepted it, staring at it. She gripped it tightly, looking down the street at the horizon, where David had disappeared just moments before.

"That was…strange," she suddenly spoke in a whisper, almost startling the twins. After a few seconds of silence, she turned to them, sighing. "We'll have to tell our parents and his… we'll form a search party." Dawn thought about it, but she shook her head.

"At daybreak, maybe… but for now, I think he really needs sometime on his own to think." John nodded thoughtfully in agreement, folding his arms across his chest. Christy hesitated, looking at the gem she held in her hand.

"As much as we don't like leaving him out here alone," John pointed out, as she raised her head. "He can take care of himself… and I think giving him some time to think will do him good." Christy was not so sure, looking down the sidewalk once more, the sun finally disappearing, leaving only a faint glow on the horizon, but its light is needed no longer because of all the city lights. She sighed inwardly, but followed the twins, nonetheless.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Mayu looked out the window, watching as the stars began to show themselves, twinkling brightly. She smiled peacefully, blinking as her attention was brought to a red haired boy walking down the sidewalk, head hung, and an aura that claimed he was deep in thought. She looked up at the sky skeptically, seeing the clouds rolling in, gradually picking up speed as the wind increased. She furrowed her brows with worry, turned from the window and hurried to the doorway, slipping on her boots. Yuka was walking past her, glancing at the young female adult. "Going to the grocery store for Kouta tonight instead?" Mayu looked up at her, not wanting to lie, but not sure what to tell her.

"Yes, I think it would be better," she admitted finally, standing up and slipping on her jacket and picking up her umbrella. "I will have more time for homework and play tomorrow afternoon." Yuka smiled at her, convinced.

"Be careful; don't forget to take a flashlight."

"Yes ma'am." The brunette teenager walked outside, putting the un-inflated umbrella on her shoulder and started down the sidewalk, keeping an eye out for the strange boy as she went.

She exited the shop, and almost as soon as she did, she saw a drop of rain hit sidewalk. She quickly popped open her umbrella, and when she put it over her head, it began to rain. She clutched the small bag of groceries tighter, beginning to trot home, thoughts of the boy no longer the first thing on her mind. She reached the corner not to far from the store and as she was looking down the street to make sure no cars were coming and she gasped with surprise. There was the boy, walking down the sidewalk, his back to her. She blinked, making a decision, and hurried after him.

* * * * * * * * * *

David ignored the cold air sweeping past him, the chilled rain that fell down upon him, drenching his clothes. He kicked a pebble as he came to it, his eyes following it until it fell into a drain. _It's all wrong…_ He blinked, taking himself from his thoughts as soon as something went over him to protect him from the rain. "You're going to catch a cold." He looked at the girl who fell in step beside him, one arm full of groceries, the other holding an umbrella over them. Her expression of concern deepened, hinting to worry. He looked down at the ground.

"It doesn't matter... you'd best be on your way." This girl seemed to be around his age, but her voice held such maturity, and a more pure element of sweetness and understanding, unlike Christy's voice. He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again. He should not be comparing Christy with a complete stranger. She watched him for a moment, but then looked at the ground, continuing to walk. She then blinked, looking at him again.

"Oh, I'm sorry… my name is Mayu." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then back at the ground. She wasn't going to give up so easily… a gentle stubbornness, or was it a caring determination?

"…most people call me David." She blinked, frowning.

"Is David your real name?"

"I don't know." She did not want to press him about why he did not know if that was his true name or not, so turned her gaze back to the ground. Eventually, they came to her house, which she was surprised to discover. Did he know where she live and intentionally walked back there? Or was he walking in circles? She sighed, stopping, and watching him walk a few steps.

"Hey, I, uhm… hope to see you again…" He looked over his shoulder at her, his face showing no emotion, but she read his eyes. She flashed him a small smile and hurried to her house, the rain stopping as she approached it. He stopped and watched her go into the building, remaining silent. After a few minutes, he sighed inwardly, and continued walking, unaware of the eyes that followed him from within the house.


	2. Chap 2: Followed by Shadows

**Chapter 2: Followed by Shadows**

Mayu slipped on her shoes and hurried outside for her afternoon walk, stopping at the doorway when she heard a voice. "Be sure to be back in time for dinner," Yuka called after her with a smile. Mayu turned and waved to her to let her know she heard her, before shutting the door and continuing on her way. The cool breeze swept in, hinting of the change from summer to autumn, the leaves just starting to change color. She ran down the sidewalk as fast as she could, a smile on her face as she approached a lovely park, with flowers, birds, luscious green grass and benches. She slowed to a walk after she had crossed the street, admiring the trees colorful leaves. The trees here were always the first to change. She trotted across the grass to a bench and sat down, looking around at the birds and squirrels. She smiled cheerfully, and looked to her left, seeing David walking toward her, hands behind his head. He sat down casually on the other side of the bench, watching the squirrels, which appeared to be talking over an acorn. The two said nothing, as it was most of the days the entire week they had done this. Simultaneously, the two stood up and walked side by side across the park, taking a dirt path that was lined with flowers and bushes and trees. They walked for a few minutes in silence, until Mayu spoke. "Yet another beautiful day," she commented quietly, glancing at him. She noted that the look on his face was peaceful, but his eyes were the same as always, sad, confused and burdened. He grunted in agreement, sighing inwardly.

Another moment of silence, and then she spoke again. "David, I won't force you to tell me… but it bothers me to see you so sad." He looked at her, a slight frown of puzzlement. Her eyes remained on the ground for a moment, but then she looked at him, seriously, yet still kind, caring… and concerned. David let his gaze fall to the ground, remaining silent for a bit longer. She watched him for a minute, but then her gaze, too, went to the dirt path. Finally, he sighed inwardly, looking towards the sky.

"Well, I don't know where to start… do you know who the Care Bear's are?" Mayu thought for a moment.

"I've heard of them, but not really…" David nodded, figuring that. Most people knew of them.

"I'll be rather blunt, then… I was an evil villain by the name of Dark Heart, and it wasn't until a month ago that I stopped. They said that they forgave me, along with some humans… but I don't know… I just doubt that they do, I feel I made a mistake by becoming good." Mayu blinked, looking at him once, but then looked ahead of them. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes, waiting for any sort of reaction.

"You don't doubt their mercy," Mayu spoke up quietly, looking at him. "You doubt yourself, and you have yet to give yourself forgiveness. You don't want to turn evil, but you're afraid you will." He blinked, stopping, and turning to her. She stopped and looked at him. They just stared at each other in silence, Mayu watching him for his reaction, and David searching her eyes, as if to better understand what she had said. David grunted, managing a small smile. "You might be right…" Mayu smiled, giving a small shrug. The two continued their walk in relative silence, admiring the scenes that nature had to show them today.

* * * * * * * * *

Christy gritted her teeth, slamming her fist into a telephone pole in frustration. "Where could he be," she called out angrily to know one in particular, glaring at the pole as if it was the cause of her problems. The twins exchanged glances, seeming tired and hopeless. "We've looked everywhere and asked everyone!"

"Not everyone," John spoke up, forced hope in his voice. "We've only asked the police and local store owners and employees; perhaps we should ask some of the locals." Christy's emotional state didn't improve, folding her arms across her chest and sighing to let out some of her anxiety. John looked around, the crowds quite thin, for most were returning to work or home, the noon rush finished. He spotted one woman walking towards them, a small grocery bag in hand. As she approached them, John politely got her attention. "Excuse me, ma'am, have you seen this boy?" He showed her a picture of a red haired, blue-eyed youth. She blinked, looking a little more closely at it. "He ran away about a week ago." The woman stood up straight, still staring at the picture.

"What is his name," she asked absentmindedly, a look of deep thought crossing her face.

"David." She blinked with recognition.

"Ah, yes, Mayu met a boy by that name about a week ago… as a matter of fact she's on one of her afternoon walks to go see him right now. My name is Yuka, by the way, and if you would like, you are invited to my house and we'll wait for Mayu to return. She might know something more about him."

"We would appreciate that very much, thank you, my name is John." The three young teens began to follow her down the sidewalk, Dawn and Christy introduced them as they went.

"You three aren't from around here, are you," Yuka asked as the approached the front door to her home. Christy and Dawn remained silent, the two girls allowing John to do most of the talking, since he was the one who approached the woman.

"No, we are not," John, admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "Dawn and I have grandparents who live in the country, though, and we were coming to visit for a month with David and Christy." Yuka nodded, leading them into the house, passed the broken clock, and to the dinning room.

"Please, make yourselves at home; Mayu could be home at anytime, but she's been late before." The others nodded, thanking her again, and sitting around the table. John looked up as a pink haired girl walked into the room; she looked about David's age, fourteen, but he couldn't be sure. She looked at Christy, Dawn, and then him, blinking. She smiled, nodding at him.

"Hello, my name's Nana." She sat down across the table from him, beside Christy. John returned the smile and the nod, introduced himself and his companions, as well as explained why they were there. Nana frowned, sitting back and folded her arms across her chest. "Mayu says that they just go on walks through one of the parks. She won't say anything more than that." She shrugged, unfolding her arms and placing her hands on her knees, smiling with excitement. "Hey, would you guys like to play a game with Nyu and I while we wait?" Christy said nothing, still staring off into space, and Dawn turned to her older brother for the answer. John nodded, thinking it would be a good idea.

"Sure, that sounds great." Nana got up and hurried away, only to return a little while later with a deck of cards in hand, and followed by another pink haired girl, but she looked more Yuka's age.

"This is Nyu; Nyu, these are our new friends, Christy, Dawn…" She pointed to each of them as she said their name and then pointed at John, her smile increasing. "And that's John." John blushed slightly, but looked at Nyu, nodding his greeting. Nyu waved.

"Nyu," she said childishly, with a grin, taking a seat beside Christy, while Nana sat beside John, who blushed a little more, but did his best to contain it.

* * * * * * * * * *

Late afternoon, the sun setting early, as it did during the very last few days of summer and first days of autumn. Mayu and David walked side by side down the sidewalk toward Mayu's home, as they usually did at the end of their walks. The two walked in silence, but between them was an aura of understanding and thoughtfulness. Mayu gave herself a small smile, looking at the beautiful array of colors at the horizon, stretching as far across the sky as they could. _Even the sun wants today to last forever._ She thought to herself, a small blush coming to her cheeks as David stopped and Mayu started toward her home. She turned halfway, giving him a big smile and a wave before she turned and ran to the house.

As she slid the door shut, Kouta appeared behind her. "Mayu, we have some visitors who would like to see you." Mayu's heart stopped as she turned to him, a strong feeling of fear sweeping over her. Kouta noticed the sudden change in her stature, and quickly explained that there was three teens present, who wanted to ask her about something. The purplish-red eyed girl smiled, nodding, and followed him to the dining room. "They seem to be friends of David," he explained as they went, looking back at her. "Apparently he's a runaway." Mayu looked up at him, nodding firmly. When she entered the room, she spoke as soon as everyone looked at her.

"He's in good health," she assured them with a small smile. "I think he's planning on going home soon… he appears to be happier and more peaceful now, compared to when I first met him." Christy smiled, nodding, very glad to hear all of that. Mayu sat down on the floor beside Yuka, her thoughts going to David, wondering if she'd ever see him again after he left with these friends of his. John seemed to read her thoughts, and smiled with understanding.

"Mayu, don't worry, we'll be sure to come back and visit you. I'm sure David would want too." The brunette girl looked up at him, and then smiled, nodding. Nana seemed pleased at this as well, but said nothing, turning to the table and looking at the cards on the table. After a moment of silence, Mayu stood up, speaking again.

"I'll tell David that you are looking for him when we meet tomorrow," she promised with a smile and a polite bow. Christy and the twins also stood up, also bowing politely and turning to Kouta and Yuka.

"Thank you for all of your help," Dawn said sincerely, Christy and John nodding in agreement. Kouta and Yuka smiled, nodding.

"Nyu," Nyu cried, hugging Dawn and Christy at the same time. "'Bye!" Dawn and Christy giggled, hugging her back as best they could. Nana watched them for a moment, and then turned to John, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. He looked over his shoulder at her, blushing with embarrassment, the butterflies in his stomach going wild.

"You'll be back tomorrow, right," she asked, smiling at him and resting her chin on his shoulder. John chuckled, smiled, and nodded in reply.

"Of course we'll be back tomorrow," John answered, giving her a thumbs up. Nana giggled and released him, waving as he and his friends left the room, and then the house.

Mayu rushed to a window and watched the three friends go, a thoughtful expression creeping its way onto her face. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Yuka. The light brunette, looked at her with a kind, understanding smile. "Everything will work out," Yuka assured her, giving a gentle squeeze to the girls shoulder. Mayu stared at her for a moment, and then smiled, turning to the window and looking out at the beautiful scenery of green grass, and trees with multicolored leaves.

The rest of the afternoon went by uneventful, Mayu continuing her studies and helping Yuka with dinner while Nana and Nyu cleaned the floors, and Kouta took care of the garden. Mayu was quiet most of the time, a bit more than usual, deep in thought. She attempted to make it not seem so obvious, pretending to pay attention to the conversation, and occasionally ask a question, but kept to herself, mostly. After dinner, she volunteered to the dishes by herself, and proceeded to clear the table. Yuka and Kouta were a little suspicious at first, and Kouta walked into the kitchen, asking her if anything was wrong. "No, I'm just thinking," she told him truthfully with a smile. Kouta watched her for a moment, but then smiled, nodding.

"All right; do you want to play war lords and fuzzballs when you're finished?" Mayu blinked, looking at him, and nodded. Kouta nodded in return, turned around, and walked away, leaving her alone in the kitchen to proceed washing the dishes.

* * * * * * * * * *

Mayu's eyes snapped open as soon as she was sure everyone else was asleep. She slowly and quietly got up, tip-toeing to the door of the bedroom. She grabbed her shoes and silently slipped out, creeping down the hall. As soon as she was outside, she slid the door shut, put on her shoes, and ran down the sidewalk as fast as she could. David's voice played in her head, at a time when she remembered asking him where he stayed at night. _For the first few days, just wherever was convenient. I usually hang out at the beach, now._ Mayu quickened her pace, steadying her breathing, and zipped around a corner, unaware of the shadow that followed her, stealth-like, quickly and quietly, keeping close to the shadows.


	3. Chap 3: They Came at Moonlight

**Chapter 3: They Came at Moonlight**

His fire blue eyes were filled with the light of the moon as they gazed up at the sky, looking at the stars, and trying to count them. Because of the city lights, not all of the stars were visible, hidden away by the overpowering artificial light. However, there was nothing more beautiful than a display of the natural lights of the universe. His gaze floated to the moon, only a half moon tonight. He sighed heavily, sitting up and looking out across the peaceful ocean, and readjusting his position on the sand. His eyes narrowed when he heard the distant sound of running feet shifting in the sand, and when he turned to see whom it was he spotted Mayu. He was glad to see her, but worry and concern overpowered it and he stood up, rushing to her, the girl only stopping when she reached him. "Mayu, what's the matter? Is something wrong?" Mayu rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Your friends… came to ask me… about… you… today," she managed to say between breaths, standing up straight as her breathing became more steady. "Are you going to return to them, David?" David ignored the last question, gently grabbing her shoulders.

"Mayu, you shouldn't be out here at this time all alone," he looked her in the eyes, silent for a moment. He let go of her shoulders, and sighed. "I was thinking about it…" He put his hands behind his head, his gaze turning to the sky as if in thought. Mayu watched him for a moment, her eyes gaining a saddened look. Suddenly, she blinked, squinting, and then her eyes widened.

"Uh, David…" He blinked, looking at her, and followed her gaze to where she was looking. He managed to catch sight of the pink-haired woman before something grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him slightly off the ground. He could see it – a disturbance in life itself, a living-dead creature that took the shape of an invisible arm. He managed to grab the wrist of it with his hands, but he couldn't budge it at all.

Mayu screamed with fright, looking at David, and then at Lucy. "No, please, don't hurt him," she begged, running to Lucy. "He's my friend!" She stared up at the woman, pleadingly, with worry, and hope. Lucy's emotionless gaze moved from the boy to Mayu, and back. She watched the boy, loosening the vectors grip just slightly to provide him a little more oxygen. She narrowed her eyes, and at her silent command, the vector dropped David, the boy landing with a dull thud. Mayu turned to look at David, sighing with relief, and then looked at Lucy. "Thank you, Lucy." She hurried to David, helping him to his feet as he massaged his neck, panting. "I apologize, David, I think she was only trying to protect me," she whispered in his ear, watching him to see what his reaction would be, and worried what he might do. He nodded understandingly, coughing into his arm.

"No worries, I understand," he blurted truthfully, coughing a little more before he finally caught his breath. He looked up at Lucy and walked to her, smiling, and extended his hand. "My name's David, I'm a friend of Mayu. You must be Lucy." The red-ish pink eyes of the diclonius stared at his extended hand for a moment, as if contemplating something, then looked at his face through her eyelashes. Her right arm tensed a little, as if about to react, when she heard a familiar click. She turned her gaze to the upper beach, where about a dozen soldiers stood or knelt in formation, all pointing their weapons at her, and a female scientist off to the side, watching them, and biting the tip of a pencil. Lucy narrowed her eyes' suspiciously at the scientist in her white lab coat.

"Well, if it isn't the long lost diclonii," the scientist spoke putting the pencil into one of her pockets. "You were right after all, bone-head." She glanced at one of the soldiers, whose eyes narrowed, not willing to look away from Lucy for even a second. She looked at Mayu and David. "Friends of yours?"

"I know that girl is, not sure about the lad," the soldier spoke up, his eyes glued to Lucy. The female scientist nodded, tapping her chin with her finger in thought.

David narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth uncertainly. "Lucy, take Mayu and run for it," he whispered to her out of the corner of his mouth, trying not to move too much. Lucy didn't move a muscle, staring at the gunman. Suddenly, the diclonius had Mayu in her arms and was running down the beach, with an occasional jump to avoid bullets that were showered after them. As soon as Lucy had started off, David dashed in the opposite direction, hoping to distract at least a few of them. Only one had his gun follow the boy, but he wasn't of the twelve on the beach. A sniper, hidden by darkness narrowed his eyes, looking through the scope on his gun, took careful aim, and fired. The sniper watched as the boy, seemingly in slow motion, spun around due to his momentum and the sudden force of the bullet, and tripped over his own feet, landing on his back and sliding a little across the sand, clutching his shoulder where the bullet hit, and gritted his teeth in pain. With a tremendous leap, the sniper was out of the shadows and bathed in moonlight, walking over to the young teen with his gun resting on his shoulder.

"Nope, nope, nope, can't let little you run away," the man said with a sneer, looking down at the boy as the red head opened one eye a little to look up at the source of the voice. "Your energy readings are quite the new obsession of my boss," he continued with a strange tone of cheerfulness. "I must make boss happy, or else, I must die. Now, if you be a good little lad, I'll stop the pain nice and fast and will have it healed in no time at all." David gripped his shoulder tighter, trying to stop the flow of blood as it stained his dirty shirt, and closed his eyes tightly, trying to ignore the pain.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open when he felt a searing pain in his leg, and looked down to see that the strange man had stabbed him with a syringe, injecting something into his blood stream. He slowly closed his eyes, and rested his head on the sand, his body going limp. The man stood up, adjusting his guns strap and then letting it hang from his shoulder, staring down at David, as he rummaged through a small pouch. "Now, where did I put that first aid kit," he mumbled to himself with an irritated sigh.

* * * * * * * * *

Lucy narrowed her eyes, replacing the branches of the bush and stood up, turning to Mayu, who also stood up. "Lucy," she started, but allowed her voice to trail off as she looked up at her adopted older sister. The pink haired adult stared at her for a moment, before crouching slightly, allowing Mayu to get on her back.

"They took him," Lucy stated bluntly just before she started running. Mayu gasped, gripping a bit more tightly as her rescuer took off at inhuman speed through the forest, toward the city. The brown haired teen said nothing for the rest of the trip, just trying to hang on and not make a noise as they snuck down sidewalks and allies towards their home. Lucy came to a stop and put Mayu down, nearly two blocks from home. All of the shadows seemed to move, making noises and playing tricks on them. Mayu gulped, blinking when Lucy grabbed her by the wrist, and the two made a break for home.

The two girls passed another street, and heard a man call out from it, "There she goes!" Lucy pushed Mayu abruptly into some bushes, continuing to run down the sidewalk, her speed increasing now that she no longer had the young teen to worry about. As she had hoped, the men followed her, not even bothering to look for the young girl that just disappeared. Lucy smirked, making a huge leap to the side as the men attempted to lock their guns onto her.

Mayu peeked out of the bushes only when she heard the footsteps fade. She looked up and across the street, seeing her home. Without thinking, she stood up, quickly brushed her pants off and ran as fast as she could, beginning to worry about her pink haired friend. However, as soon as she reached within three feet of the door, she heard a strange thud and turned around to find Lucy sprawled on the sidewalk. Mayu's hands flew to her mouth to stifle a scream, hurrying over to the girl and collapsing to her knees beside Lucy. However, as she was about to put a hand on the seemingly unconscious girls' shoulders, Nyu opened her eyes, blinking a few times before she began to cry, holding her head from the pain of the fall. Her young brown haired friend thought fast, wondering how much Lucy had lost the soldiers before pulling a disappearing act. "Nyu, let's go inside, I'll make it all better," she promised with a forced, calm smile. Nyu sat up, tears welling in her eyes and nodded, allowing Mayu to help her to her feet, and then followed her inside. Once there, Nyu sat in front of the table, rubbing her eyes sleepily and drying the tears. Mayu went to the kitchen, fumbling around in the dark for what she thought she knew inside and out. Finding a cloth, she dampened it, and returned to the dimly lit dining room, asking Nyu where it hurt. Nyu rubbed a spot on her head, now bulging due to the soreness. Mayu rubbed it gently with cloth, massaging it expertly. Nyu let out a little whimper, her hands instinctively heading to the source of pain, but she quickly pulled them back down and set them on her legs, piercing her lips together tightly. While she did this, Mayu swallowed hard, wondering what she should do about David… she figured she'd ask Kouta, but should she wait until morning?

The question answered herself when a yawning, blue haired adult walked into the room, rubbing his eyes. He froze, seeing the two girls, and noting Mayu's actions, as well as the look on her face. Instantly, he knew something was wrong. Blinking, he walked over to them. "What's wrong, Mayu? What happened?" Suddenly, a lump appeared in Mayu's throat, and she tried her best to hold back tears, knowing that they would not help the situation.

"I went to see David tonight," she began, slowly, her voice cracking ever so slightly, but Kouta noticed. He waited patiently, keeping an understanding-father-like composure, which encouraged Mayu to continue, but her words were rushed. "Lucy followed me, and then some soldiers came, Lucy got me away, but they took David." She bit her lower lip, trying to hide the worried quiver. Kouta's eyes narrowed in thought, hugging her affectionately. Nyu looked up at the two, her eyes saddening as she hugged Mayu's legs, wanting to help her friend feel better.

"I'll wake Yuka and then head down to the police station." With one last squeeze to Mayu, Kouta dashed away to Yuka's bedroom. Nyu stood up, whimpering sadly. Mayu forced a small, tired smile.

"Thank you, Nyu, I feel much better now." This lit up the pink haired girls' expression. Hugging Mayu happily, Nyu bid her a childish "good night" and then skipped off to bed.

Mayu stood there in silence, hands grasping her arms just above the elbows in anticipation. Soon, Kouta returned, flashlight in hand, and the two hurried to the police station, Kouta not even bothering to get fully dressed. "Mayu, why did you go out at this time of night," Kouta asked her gently as they jogged. Mayu glanced at him, just to note his expression.

"I worry about him at night," she admitted honestly, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "It gets so cold… especially tonight." Kouta glanced at her, saying nothing as the two rounded a corner, coming upon the police station. As the two entered, Kouta noticed that the two officers were different from the ones he had dealt with before. He was glad about that. The first officer looked up from his paperwork, eyeing them over his glasses' rims. Kouta approached the desk, followed closely by Mayu.

"Excuse me officers, my daughters' friend was kidnapped by soldiers," Kouta took out a picture from his pocket, unfolding it and showing it to the officers, a picture of David with his three friends. "The red headed boy." The officer raised his eyebrows, scanning the picture, and then his eyes moved up to Kouta, and then floated to Mayu, who shifted uncomfortably.

"Soldiers, you say," he asked evenly, his facial muscles hardly moving. Mayu nodded firmly, regaining her casual composure. The officer nodded to himself, biting the right side of his lower lip as he looked down at his desk, looking under some stacks of papers until he found a phone book. "What color were their uniforms?" Mayu thought for a moment, trying to remember if she had seen the uniform in the light.

"Dark green, with some black," she finally spoke, rubbing her shoulders, even though they were not cold. The officer nodded absentmindedly, picking up the phone and dialing.

"Are you sure he was kidnapped and not arrested?"

"Yes, sir."

"If you two would kindly leave your names', residency and contact information, you two may head home and I'll contact you first thing in the morning with whatever results I find." Kouta narrowed his eyes, wanting to remain at the station, but reluctantly nodded his head, accepting the pen and paper offered to him by the second officer. He scribbled down the information, bid a polite farewell to the officers, and led Mayu home, the two remaining in relative silence for the rest of the trip.


	4. Chap 4: Strangers

**Chapter 4: Strangers**

The night was filled with restless flipping and turning, Mayu trying so hard to get some sleep. However, she could not, her worry and fear for David's safety keeping her awake. She sighed, sitting up and covering her mouth as she yawned. Throwing the blanket aside, she stood up and walked to the living room, sitting on the couch and staring out the window, the sky just beginning to turn a lighter blue with the sunrise inching closer with each passing minute. Her saddened, narrowed gaze remained to some imaginary object outside the window, even when Yuka walked in and bid her good morning. The brunette woman blinked, stopping in mid yawn when the girl hardly moved a muscle. Finally, she remembered Kouta waking her up the night before he said something about Mayu's friend, David and the police station. As she continued thinking, her subconscious mind worked with the rest of her brain, and put together the fragments of last nights' events into something she could understand. Yuka said nothing, walking over to the girl silently, as the sun started to peer of the horizon, its light out-lining the dark grey clouds rolling in, no doubt carrying a storm with it. Yuka rubbed her shoulders hastily, a sudden chill sweeping through the room, and she let out her breath as a thin wisp of chill. She looked down at Mayu, who didn't even blink.

Finally, Mayu turned her head and looked up at Yuka's concerned and thoughtful looking eyes. Yuka bent over and gave the young teen a hug. "You will be staying home today," she told Mayu firmly as the girl returned the comforting and warm embrace. "I doubt you got any sleep last night… you look so tired. I'll make breakfast, and afterward, you shall go take a nice long bath and then go to bed." Yuka stood up straight, breaking the embrace, and gave her adopted daughter a small, sad smile. Mayu's mouth corners went up a little in an attempt to allow Yuka's kindness to warm her, but still, her heart was heavy. The only thing keeping it from plummeting to her stomach was the hope that the officers had found something on where David was and why the soldiers had taken him. She sighed, blinking, and her subconscious mind informed her of Yuka's small farewell before she had left for the kitchen. The registration was to late though, for the absent-minded girl did not see any one else in the room. With another sigh, Mayu stood up and went to do some chores, not wanting to increase the workload of the others.

However, Kouta discovered her doing the dusting, and folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head with a gentle smile. "Ah ah ah, no work for you today." Mayu wanted to continue working, but she did not wish to defy him, so obediently put away the dusting supplies. When she closed the closet door, she felt arms wrapped around her neck in a hug.

"Good mooooorrrrrrrniiiiiing," Nana cried in a cheerful voice. Mayu managed a small smile to her adopted sister, and put a hand on Nana's arm as a returned affectionate, sisterly gesture.

"Good morning, Nana," she greeted, managing to turn to the side, and spotted Nyu walking to them, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Good morning, Nyu."

At the sound of her name, the pink-haired adult let her hands' down and looked at Mayu, finishing her yawn. When she saw Mayu, her expression turned to worry and she hurried over to Mayu. "Mayu, happy," Nyu questioned innocently, staring into Mayu's reddish-purple eyes, as if to search for the answer. Her concern deepened when her friends' expression fell, and shook her head honestly. Nyu hugged them both, not realizing she was strangling Nana. The three heard the phone rang, and Nyu released the two girls, as if she knew Mayu would want to go and find who was calling.

Just before Mayu entered the room, she heard Kouta say, "Hello?" She stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw Kouta, trying to hold in her mixture of emotions. "Yes, sir, this is Kouta… oh, I see…" Mayu's shoulders sagged with disappointment as Kouta looked at her sadly. "Well, thank you anyway, sir… yes, goodbye." He hung up the phone and then turned to Mayu, his eyes narrowing. He didn't believe what the cops said about no record of soldiers out and about. The tone the man used was deceptive. Mayu seemed to read his thoughts, but said nothing, looking at the floor sadly.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Later that day, mid afternoon, Christy and the twins arrived at the house, greeted by Kouta. "Good day, Kouta," Christy spoke up with a smile. However, her cheerful mood disappeared when Kouta did not return her enthusiasm. She felt an aura of deep sadness, regret, and something else that she could not place…

"What's wrong," Dawn asked worriedly, Christy blinking as her gaze returned to Kouta's expression. Kouta stepped aside, politely asking them to come in and have a seat in the living room. The blue haired young man quickly checked on Mayu in the kitchen, she was talking on the phone with a friend of hers.

"Yes, sir," she was saying, nodding her head, one hand gripping the phone cord tightly until her knuckles whitened.

John sat down beside his sister on the couch, his hands folded in his laps and he began to twiddle his thumbs in anticipation. He looked up when he heard footsteps and saw Nana walking into the room, her eyes cast to the floor in a sorrowful daydream. "Hello, Nana," he called quietly, just loud enough for her to hear. She stopped and looked up at him. As soon as her pink eyes landed upon his face, they welled up with tears and she shut them, looking away, as if in shame. John stood up, walking to her. "Nana, what's wrong? Why is everyone so upset?" She appeared to force herself to look at him, the tears still welling in her eyes.

"I don't know what's wrong, but everyone else is upset. They said something about David being taken by bad guys." She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to halt her release of tears. "And the police weren't any help." John's stomach knotted, but he ignored it, his hand going to her shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze. That was all he could think of doing… It seemed to work, for Nana stopped crying and managed a small "thanks" before she walked over to the window seat and sat down, hands folding in her lap.

Kouta came in a short while later and explained everything to the best of his ability. Christy frowned deeply, taking the red gem from underneath her shirt, and allowing it to rest in her hand as she closed her eyes tightly, and clutched the gem tightly. Dawn watched her for a moment, but then turned to Kouta. "How is Mayu doing," she asked politely, acting as if she were about to stand up. However, she remained sitting as the brunette teen walked into the room, dark circles under her eyes signaling of little sleep and much stress. Mayu silently sat down in a rocking chair, her right hand going to her left shoulder, as if it hurt.

"A friend of mine, a professional in combat, says he will do everything he can to find out where he is, and get him back." Kouta blinked at her rather blunt answer to the unasked question, but said nothing about it, leaning his back against the wall and sighing.

After an hour, Christy and the twins said their farewells, and began to walk home. Christy clutched her gem tightly, fidgeting with the silver chain with her free hand, and chewing at her lower lip, walking ahead of the other two. John put his hands in the pockets of his faded blue jeans, his head hung, almost directly behind his brunette haired friend. Dawn allowed herself to trail behind, occasionally stopping to take a moment to look up at the sky. She frowned at the clouds, almost suspiciously, and then heard rustling leaves beside her and turned to the bushes, where a boy, only a year older than her at least, stood, thumbing something in his hand. "'ey, I've ain't ever seen such a frown in all my days," he spoke with an accent. She blinked, not sure what to say in response. Before she had the chance, though, he continued. "Word has it that thou art looking for someone?" She frowned a little, noticing that his way of speaking changed slightly from the first time he said something… perhaps he was just trying to imitate someone with his first words?

"Yeah, a friend by the name of David," she explained, rummaging in her blue jeans pocket until she pulled out a folded up picture, and handed it to him after she had unfolded it. "Word has it that he was kidnapped by armed men," she added with a flick of her head. He eyed her beneath his eyelashes, guessing that she was in a bad mood, and he had made a poor first impression on her.

"Armed men, ye say? Heh, I reckon I might be able to help." Without even waiting for a reply, he dashed into the bushes behind him and disappeared. Dawn merely frowned at the bushes where he had vanished, and then turned and ran to catch up with her companions.

* * * * * * * * *

Hours later, while Mayu was heading to bed, David looked up at the window on the second story floor. He knew there were people behind there… watching him, testing him. He blinked when he heard the machine hanging from the ceiling click, and he gasped, his eyes widening as he knew what to expect. The pain in the side of his face and his left eye was sharp, and caused him to cry out, and he thought for sure they had broken some facial bones. He fell to his knees, his sweat staining the white pants they had put him in, and his breath coming out in short, quick pants.

Behind the glass, a female scientist wrote something down on a clipboard. "Again, his energy levels went off the charts at impact; abnormal energy. He isn't human; we can certainly confirm that now." A male scientist nodded in agreement, typing something into the computer.

"Yes, but what is he, and does that make him dangerous?"

"I am waiting for a report from Lee; he should be here any minute." As if on queue, a man entered the room, carrying a clipboard, his face quite pale. He looked at her through black rimmed glasses, as he handed her the clipboard silently. Her brown eyes looked over it, narrowed, and then widened in surprise.

"Oh my… this is… not possible," she stammered, looking up at the other scientist as he came over and read the DNA report, also having the same reaction. Lee took the clipboard back, his expression grave. It usually was, that was just his personality.

"Not probable, but possible," he muttered bluntly before he left the room, heading down the plain white halls to a large set of double-doors. He didn't bother knocking, just marched right in, his boss turning in his chair, still talking on the phone. Lee plopped the clipboard down on the desk in front of his boss, and the slightly elderly man looked at it with a narrowed gaze.

"…I'll have to call you back," he mumbled into the phone, hanging up as he continued to stare at the paper, reading the report. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke. "Well, this is certainly an interesting find… we must commence further testing and research to make sure we have it exactly right." Lee nodded, picked up the clipboard, and walked out of the office.


	5. Chap 5: Monster

**Chapter 5: ****Monster**

Mayu marked on her calendar, and took on a look of sadness, deepening her signs of depression and weariness. Two weeks since Bando went off to search for David, two weeks without a word. Dawn told her about the strange boy who volunteered to find David, but no one had heard from him, either. With another sigh, Mayu left her bedroom, heading to the kitchen. Just as she entered, the phone rang, and she answered, hoping beyond hope it was Bando.

Kouta walked into the kitchen, having heard the phone ring and Mayu speaking into it. He watched her with rising anticipation, but sighed with dismay when Mayu's finger wrapped itself in that cord, meaning it was not Bando. He did perk up when she unwrapped it – evidently talking to Christy. "…if you think it'll help at all, sure. Yes… we'll be waiting for you. All right, bye, Christy." Mayu hung up the phone and Kouta moved towards her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Christy says she needs my help with something," Mayu spoke up with her usual, dense tone. "She thinks it might help us find David, but she's not sure… she'll be here this afternoon." Kouta nodded, rubbing her shoulder gentle. He almost told her it was time to get ready for school, but he remembered it was a Holiday, and the next day was going to be a teacher conference of some sort. "Do you need help setting the table for breakfast?" Kouta blinked himself back into reality, and then shook his head.

"No, thank you, Mayu, Nana already did that. How about you inform Yuka of our coming guests, maybe you two could make a treat for them?" Mayu nodded, giving him a small smile before she walked off in search of Yuka.

However, it was merely an hour later that Nyu opened the door to find Christy, Dawn and John before her. She blinked at them, and then smiled. "Hi," she greeted cheerfully, stepping aside and inviting them in with an outstretched hand. "Mayu!" As soon as the guests were inside, Nyu shut the door, and hurried off to find Nyu, forgetting to lead them to the dining room. A moment later, Mayu hurried into the room, attempting to get some powder off her purple sweater.

"Oh, we did not expect you so soon… please I'll lead you to the living room where you can sit down." Christy shook her head, grasping her necklace with the red gem.

"No thank you, Mayu. If it's all right, we'd just as soon get started." Mayu blinked, but nodded, walking over to them. Christy took off her necklace and cradled it in her palms, showing it to Mayu. "This gem may help us, but we need you as well." Mayu gave her a questioning look, but Christy continued before she could ask her to explain it. "It was an old gem he had in… older days. It was purified, and now has the ability to allow close friends' of his to sense him, where he is at, how he's feeling, and sometimes effect that." She paused for a moment, looking at the gem, and then shook her head. "I've tried again and again, but it isn't working for me… I was wondering if you would like to try?" Mayu thought about it for a moment, clasping her hands in Christy's, her fingers touching the gem. Christy gave her a small smile. "All right, just close your eyes, and think of David, and try to let whatever you feel go into your fingertips. If that makes sense…" Mayu nodded with a small smile, closing her eyes as she concentrated; s_adness, hope and happiness._ Her brows quivered as she continued to think… to _feel_, and transmit it to the tips of her fingers. _**Friendship**_. The gem glowed, sending energy through her fingertips that went through her body, to her mind, bringing with it an image. Mayu gasped, falling backwards onto her rear, panting furiously, eyes wide with fear and confusion.

"Th-they're…h-he," she stammered, trying to piece it all together, grasping onto John as soon as he knelt beside her in an attempt to comfort her. The other three spoke softly and tenderly, trying to comfort her enough that she could tell them what she saw. "He's in…so much pain," was all she managed to say, still breathing hard. She shook her head, trying to stand up, with help from Christy and John.

"I-I'm sorry, Mayu," Christy murmured, hugging her. Mayu hugged her back, trying to calm herself.

"Please, don't blame yourself," Mayu spoke up, slightly shaken. "I wanted to try to help." Christy remained silent, sighing inwardly. A sudden knock on the door startled them, and they pulled apart. Mayu walked over to the door and opened it, gasping when she found Bando and a strange boy beside him.

"I told ya this was de place," Bando shouted at the teenager, who folded his arms across his chest, irritated. "Next time just keep you're mouth shut, ya little brat!" Mayu blinked, watching the two converse for a moment before she decided to speak up.

"Um, good day, Bando," she stated, just loud enough to get their attention. "What news do you have?" Bando looked at her, twisting a freshly lit cigar between his fingers.

"Well, good news, bad news and very bad news," he began, taking a smoke and then blowing it out with a puff. "Good news is, I found him. The bad news is, he's in a secret science lab with high-tech weapons and stuff. The very bad news, they seem to enjoy beating him to a bloody pulp." Mayu and the others gasped, John swallowed hard. The teenaged boy beside Bando slammed his foot on the mans' toes.

"Way to go with tellin' it to 'em gently, Uncle," the boy hissed angrily, removing his sunglasses to reveal his brown eyes.

"'Ey, I can't help it if not everyone likes the cold, hard facts," Bando responded with a shrug, taking off his own sunglasses as he looked at Mayu. "Don't mind Resu, me and him are workin' together on this." Mayu nodded, thinking for a moment.

"So, what're we gonna do," Christy asked aloud, looking at the others as they looked at her. "Well, we can't just do nothing! We should go talk to the police-"

"The cops won't help ya none," Bando interrupted impatiently, tapping his cigar with one finger, sprinkling some of it onto Resu's shoe. "The scientist base, and all experiments they do there, are supported, and yet not supported by the government. Meaning, they won't do anything to help with their experiments, nor will they lift a finger to stop them. No matter how low-down they are." Resu let that hang in the air for a bit before he spoke up.

"But don't worry, we're gonna come up with a plan and raid it!" Bando gave Resu's head a whap, growling at his annoying nephew.

"Shut it, squirt!" He turned to Mayu, serious and calm once more. "Even though the government has nothing to do with the experiments, they do give 'em well-trained men and weapons. We can't just walk in there, so we'll have to find a way to sneak in, get him out, and make sure they don't ever find him again. The latter is going to be the most difficult part, though."

* * * * * * * *

David's feet landed on a rock, but no sooner had they touched the rock, something hit the ground just beside the rock, and he had to jump off immediately, the rock being blown away due to the small explosion that followed. He ran around through the holographic, and yet real, jungle, weaving in and out of trees and bushes, avoiding any traps the scientists had set, or the occasional grenade they sent at him. He had come to find that this was to test if his stamina and decisiveness were at all developing, or were affected by their "testing" of him. He rounded the trunk of a large tree and was hit squarely in the chest by a little grenade, but he pressed on as it exploded behind him, sending him in a front flip, and he landed on his back. Another grenade landed beside him, but he managed to roll over on top of, and then to the other side, of a large rock, just before it exploded. When he tried to get up before the next grenade came, he found he couldn't, the familiar "soothing" injection filling his blood veins from the dart that hit his arm. His eyes narrowed, as if sleepy, the holographic images disappearing around him, a large, white room taking its place.

Overlooking the scene, the female scientist, Juna, typed something into the computers, and then jotted on the clipboard beside her. "Amazing, his amount of stamina and his ability to make appropriate decisions under stress is simply astounding; however, he still remains to fully access it." The male scientist beside her nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"I suppose there really is only one way for us to know for sure that he is what Lee proposes he is; I still think it's absurd."

"Even with the data collected," Juna asked with a sigh, re-adjusting her glasses. "Honestly, Flaney, you claim to be unbiased, and yet when we slap data in front of you, you still deny it." Flaney shrugged, remaining silent, bringing a sigh from his female co-worker. She pressed a button and spoke into a speaker, sending her voice to the radio of a soldier on stand-by. "Testing is finished; you may take him to his room." She turned to the clipboard, picking it up, her eyes skimming over it expertly. "We'll need to think of a name to call what he is," Juna spoke up suddenly, more to herself then to her 'biased' co-worker. Flaney chuckled, shaking his head.

"It'll have to be something complicated," he suggested bluntly, typing something else into the computer. Juna shook her head, chuckling as well.

"That certainly goes without saying."

* * * * * * * *

David began to get feeling back shortly after the soldier left, leaving him alone in his darkened containment. It wasn't long until one of the new recruits to the base came in. David didn't find this anything new, for the past week, Rand came to his containment every day, to taunt him, call him names, but that was it. David did his best to ignore it – any pleas or questions he had fell on deaf ears, anyway, so his best bet was to ignore everything he had to say. "You're pathetic," Rand started, as usual, walking over to David's stomach-down figure. "The scientists must think so too, even I can sneak in here! Must make you just some normal human test thing." Suddenly, David felt a sharp pain in his side, the force of the kick sending him up and rolling, before he stopped on his back, grimacing from the added pain to the bruises and cuts he already had from past tests. Rand had never kicked him before, so this was new, but David still tried to ignore it. He saw Rand's feet walking towards him, and then felt pressure on his chest as the early twenties man stepped on him, causing David to growl in pain. "They claim you're a monster! A freak! And rightly so, for the information they've been gathering about you." The foot came off, but Rand grabbed David by his white shirt and lifted him up, bringing him to eye level, his feet dangling freely. Rand's green eyes peered into David's blue ones, as if searching them. "Monster! You don't deserve to live, they should just kill you!" David had just managed to move his hands to grip Rand's wrist weakly before the man tossed him into a wall roughly, David falling to the floor, landing on his side. Rand just stared at the young boy, panting as if having done a great labor. After a few moments, Rand turned to leave, but he stopped as soon as he heard David speak.

_**Not if I kill them first**._ Rand stiffened, slowly looking over at David, the boy pushing himself off the floor, getting to his knees with much effort. As soon as he was on his knees, he looked up at Rand slightly, his eyes glowing demon red. Rand gasped, taking a step back in shock.

**Well, I'm on a role! Not for long, though, I don't think, because next week, I'm gone until Saturday. So, enjoy this chapter, sort of leaves at a cliff-hanger, I guess. I wish I could figure out how to color text...**


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